Matthew Long-Middleton

Who doesn’t love Monarch Butterflies?  Could you imagine the loss we would feel if they disappeared?  Our guest on Central Standard today will talk to us about the decline of monarch butterfly populations.  It comes down to a loss of habitat.   We discuss the severity of the situation and what we can do to help turn things around?  We also discuss threats to bees and the implications of having another pollinator at risk.  Our guest works for K-U.  Orley “Chip” Taylor is a trained insect ecologist and founded Monarch Watch some 20-years ago.   It’s an opportunity to learn about monarch butterflies….

Low rider cars aren’t the type of vehicles that drive by unnoticed. The low chrome rims, killer paint jobs, normally accompanied with a bumpin' sound system to go with it, sub woofers and hydraulics all grab attention of those it passes. These cars are often stigmatized as being related to gangsters, but on this Central Standard we learn about research that disputes that common misconception.

Socializing and drinking go hand in hand, and across the United States the hobby of making your own beer and wine has grown in the last few decades. But when it comes to liquor, the law makes it much more difficult to home brew whiskey, vodka or rum as a hobby, and as a result there are very few local distilleries across the nation.  We're joined by three special distilleries: Patrick Garcia the master distiller at Dark Horse Distillery in Lenexa, Kansas; Ralph Hayes the marketing director for Pinckney Bend distillery out of New Haven, Missouri; and Seth Fox president of High Plains in Atchison, Kansas
 

The three C’s--Clans, cliques and clubs—everyone has probably enjoyed the sense of belonging and the social support that membership provides. Throughout history, organized groups have waged war and influenced everything from local customs to the division of wealth and property. But when does loyalty to the group begin to interfere with individual freedom, and at worst, the very stability of clan itself?  And how do we live in a democratic society and balance both individuals and group needs and pressures? We talk about how our modern society was shaped by ancient forms of social organization---otherwise known as clans---and debate the balance between individual freedom and group loyalty -- family.

History host Monroe Dodd speaks with Michael Lind about his most recent book, Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States.  They explore the curious history of the United States from its inception to today through the lens of three distinct economic republics.  These three periods of American history are distinct in their incredible transformation brought about by technological and subsequent economical changes that also transformed the very way America understands itself.

It’s estimated that in the United States, people with disabilities constitute the third-largest, and perhaps the most diverse, minority group. A person may be born with a disability or it may occur during a lifetime. The disability can be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental, or a combination of all of these. On this Central Standard, we’ll talk about disability issues across the life span and some local efforts to empower those who face the challenge of a disability.

When  most of us think of a debate, presidential debates between two individuals come to mind. But the sport of argument and articulation is as radically different from this scenario as you can imagine. The world of college debate includes lightening fast speech arguments developed on the fly. The best team that encompasses these can be found at Emporia State University. Ryan Wash and Elijah Smith, two members of the ESU debate team recently won both the National Debate Tournament and the Cross Examination Debate Association championship tournament. 

Speech and communication is a fundamental and necessary part of our days.  Being able to articulate I thoughts, feelings and desires is perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of being human.  But how hard is it to correct or relearn this intrinsic skill?  Today we explore the practice of Speech Therapy with Carol Koch, Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Rockhurst University and Shatonda Jones, a Visiting Instructor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Rockhurst University.

After a drawn out winter where we in Kansas City found ourselves hibernating through the snow and ice of March, spring has finally sprung. The trees are blooming and the landscape is finally peppered with color as plants and wildlife emerge from dormancy. On this Central Standard, we explore the nature around us as we transition into Spring. 

In her book The Soul of Southern Cooking, Kathy Starr calls soul food "generous and earthy, like the people who created it. I'm not talking about small slivers of skinned chicken breasts surrounded by miniature carrots and radishes cut like roses. I'm talking about something to eat!" In Kansas City you'll never walk out hungry from one of this town's soul food restaurants or buffets. Classic southern cuisine like fried chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese, and peach cobbler are soul-soothing dishes. They may not be so good for your waistline, but they're nirvana for your spirit. Food Critic Charles Ferruzza, Emily Farris, Gloria Gale and Mary Bloch explore the best soul food of the city.

From birth, the care and upbringing of a child is a stressful and demanding process. Tough questions that all parents face include who can I leave my child with when I go to work? Am I doing enough to help my child get on track with learning? And for some families, how can I get my child a good meal today? On this Central Standard we are exploring the challenges of childcare and early education for all parents, including the cost of childcare, how the government affects a child's early education and we highlight some local programs that help families in need.

It’s been less than 20 years since cell phones became ubiquitous and children of the 90s have never known a world without them.  Now, as those children come to age, we’re witnessing the startling confluence of technology and sexual awakening. The results have been children becoming not just the victims, but also the perpetuators of sexual exploitation--some even becoming convicted sex offenders.  We take a look at the complicated world of children sexting with Haleigh Harrold, Education and outreach specialists for the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault and officer Tom Hayselden, a School Resource Officer for the Shawnee Mission school district.

There are about three or four thousand abused or neglected children in Kansas City’s social services system. While the rate of child abuse has been declining nationally, that number has been growing in Kansas City. And as the problem swells, both Kansas and Missouri continue to privatize more and more of their child welfare services.

On this episode of Central Standard we examine the state of our child welfare system, but through the eyes of the kind of private non-profit charities increasingly being asked to fill the void: the Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association, and Court Appointed Special Advocates from both Missouri and Kansas.

We’ll get a look at the real impact of child abuse in our communities, why this problem is getting worse, and what the obstacles are to overcoming it.